Suspended ceilings are common in commercial buildings as well as in private residences. Such ceilings provide a variety of decorator finishes as well as a means to conceal an unsightly ceiling, conduits, electrical circuitry and sprinkler system supply pipes, while maintaining easy access to same.
In a suspended ceiling, a series of parallel T-bar grids is suspended from the structural ceiling by wires or other means. Perpendicular grids are joined at regularly spaced intervals and rectangular panels are placed on the flanges of the grids to complete the system. After a period of time the ceiling often becomes stained and soiled but the structural integrity of ceiling has not been compromised. This is especially true in commercial settings where industrial fumes, smoke, and other airborne particulates are deposited over time and where water leakage can cause rusting and stains. Even when a decorating change is not anticipated but only a clean look is desired, funds to replace the ceiling may not be available or it is not cost effective for the use of the premises. In residential settings a change in room decor may be desired and the suspended ceiling is not usually amenable to such changes. Painting a suspended ceiling is not easily accomplished and would not yield a satisfactory result.
There have been patents issued for a variety of ceiling systems utilizing the conventional T-bar grids. Most of these are for a particular decorator effect, primarily the three-dimensional effect of an expensive wood ceiling or an old fashioned "tin ceiling". In such cases inlaid panels are required to complete the decor. These may be practical in a smaller setting or where the cost of resurfacing is not in issue, but they do not solve the problem where larger areas are involved and cost is a major factor.
Many of the additions to the standard grid system must be installed initially with the grids and cannot be used to redecorate at a later time. These components must be installed by sliding the refacing strips over the ends of each T-bar grid before it is suspended (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,319,389 to Levine; No. 4,722,161 to Young). A patent has isssued for a three dimensional strip that is bonded to the grids during manufacture and has a companion molded panel that gives a single construction three dimensional appearance to the finished ceiling (U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,888 to Blitzer). The ceiling of Blitzer is permanent and does not lend itself to refacing. Carved wooden moldings attached to the grids by means of special clips are taught by Anderson (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,452,021) and Adams (U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,801).
Sanborn teaches the use of wood or wood grain beams affixed to the grids by means of hook and loop fastener strips or adhesives (U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,246). These beams also give a flamed or three dimensional appearance to the finished ceiling. Bischel et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,393) and Blitzer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,054) teach a three dimensional ceiling whereby beams attach to the grids to provide recessed areas in the ceiling.
None of the above systems would be practical in a commercial building where a ceiling has become dingy or damaged but the owner has no desire to invest a large sum of money in a decorator look. Weinar (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,055,930 and 4,115,970) has developed refacing strips that are applied over the existing grids to give a fresh appearance. These strips are supported along their lengths on one side only and the strip could begin to drop or sag under its own weight or under the weight of a ceiling panel or lighting fixture resting thereon. There are no corner pieces and peripheral strips are formed by cutting the regular strips along a preformed cut line. Weinar also uses special cross caps to be applied over the intersection points to cover and conceal unsightly joints at the intersections. These caps rest on top of the strips and add another dimension or layer to the grid refacing. To cover a T-intersection the cross cap is cut along a preformed cut line.
In all of these systems the grid facing strips or beams must be cut to size before installation. This process requires time and allows for human error in cutting the strips in the exact lengths needed. This can often result in gaps or rough sections along the cut edges so that the two pieces cannot be perfectly contiguous along their entire abutments. The resulting refacing will not appear smooth and homogenous. Also, if the cuts are not perfectly perpendicular to the longitudinal edges the entire grid system can be forced out of proper alignment.
There is a need for a simple, inexpensive refacing system that can be snapped over the existing grids easily without special tools, with a minimum of on-site cutting, resulting in a smooth, planar and homogeneous appearance, and which provides refacing for the ceiling panels as well.